The event will now take place at the Peter Bronfman Room on the 7th floor of the the Chang School of Continuing Education at 297 Victoria Street.

The YouTube sensation known as GirlWritesWhat will argue, now ironically, the need to build safe spaces to discuss the health and wellbeing of men at university campuses, especially in the face of organized resistance from protesters and attempts by campus administrations to censor by bankruptcy. A donor quickly came forward to pledge to match contributions to ensure the event would proceed.

“We are now more committed than ever to see this event launch a Ryerson-based Men’s Issues Awareness Society,” said Ryerson alumni and event sponsor Adam McPhee.

In March 2013 the RSU banned groups and events discussing gender other than through officially sanctioned perspectives, then immediately rejected a female-led initiative to explore men’s issues.

Karen will encourage men and women to work together in a variety of areas that hurt both sexes: violence, suicide, graduation rates, the gender imbalance in many professions and sexist portrayals in the media.

“She will also challenge us to take an honest look at where modern feminism has failed in its approach to men and men’s issues, and where its need to censor heterodoxy may have become a force impeding gender equality,” said McPhee.

The event is sponsored by the Canadian Association for Equality whose co-hosted programs at the University of Toronto have brought out protesters but generated overwhelming public support, resulting in funds to build the Canadian Centre for Men and Families. CAFE’s 2014 New Year’s resolution is to sponsor events at 8 universities across Canada, starting with Ryerson.